


As We Cast Away the Hours

by Lady_Ganesh



Category: Saiyuki
Genre: Chocolate Box Exchange, Family, Fishing, Gen, Pre-Canon, Treat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-14
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2019-03-09 02:17:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13471575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Ganesh/pseuds/Lady_Ganesh
Summary: Jien takes his half-brother fishing.





	As We Cast Away the Hours

**Author's Note:**

  * For [opalmatrix](https://archiveofourown.org/users/opalmatrix/gifts).



Gojyo might be a kid, but he isn't stupid. He knows Jien comes up with projects to get him away from Mom. Lately, he's been more and more obvious about it, too.

But Mom hasn't been any better, lately, either. She gets more headaches, spends more days in bed. Looks at Gojyo more often, long, considering looks that make Gojyo wonder if it was better when she just ignored him.

So Gojyo goes out and helps pick up old nails or paint fences or whatever odd jobs need doing that day, and when he's lucky they'll do something for one of the older ladies who coo over him and tell him he's a nice young boy who's going to grow up to be quite the handsome young man. (Not the kind of handsome young man they'll want dating their granddaughters, he's well aware, but he eats the cookies they sneak to him anyway, and bows his thanks, like he's not the half-breed kid whose birth drove his parents crazy, like there aren't holes in his socks and he's not wearing Jien's threadbare hand-me-downs.)

Today, though, Jien says they're fishing.

They haven't fished in months, but the weather is warming and Jien says the fish should be active by now. "You'll need to learn to do this yourself, someday," Jien says. "Figure out when the time's right."

"You'll be around to tell me," Gojyo said. "Won't you?"

Jien's jaw tightens. "You'll want your own life someday, kid. You wouldn't want your kids havin' to ask me when it's time to fish."

 _Why wouldn't I?_ Gojyo wants to ask, but he knows he'd better not.

The brook is running high from the spring rains, but Jien knows all the eddies and slow spots where the fish lurk. He lets Gojyo use the better pole, but Gojyo wins the fight to go without a bobber; he's not a little kid any more, he knows the difference between a current and a bite.

The sun is high and warm and Gojyo's happy he doesn't need a jacket today; he's starting to outgrow this winter's, and it's tight on his arms. It's a good day, better for having Jien next to him, quiet, not worried like he seems to be most of the time. 

Gojyo gets the first fish, a good-sized carp that all but leaps into his hand.

"Nice work," Jien says, ruffling his hair, once Gojyo's finally gotten the wiggly creature off his hook and into the bucket. “That gets us dinner tonight.”

"I wish we could do this all the time," Gojyo says.

Jien smiles at him, soft for a change. "Me too."

**Author's Note:**

> Title from [Fishing with Bill,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqF68pSj3BY) which has the wrong lyrics overall, but the right feel.


End file.
